solitudepreferred:
Irvine held on, staring at the side of Luca’s face as she honed in on her landmark, content to study the color of her hair and the curve of her cheek. He had no desire to look at the sun reflecting off gold statues and impossibly white stone, searching for one spire among many. No, he’d amuse himself with Luca’s every detail–and her odd descriptions.
Lips twitching at the thought, Irvine wondered how many confused refugees had passed through her business, armed with her subjective directions. He would take her word for it, however. Luca had no reason to lie, and she didn’t seem incompetent. Besides, he had no room to talk.
Irvine dropped his hand. Discomfort, as of hundreds of tiny needles pricking his eyes, ebbed to a dull pain. He could feel the promise of a headache coiled at the nape of his neck. If he abused his sight further, that would be his penance.
Without much conviction, Irvine tilted his head at the general angle of Luca’s outstretched arm. “Yes, I think I do. A sight for sore eyes I bet–the tower I mean,” came his noncommittal reply.
Quick to move on, Irvine stepped onto the busy street. Before them loomed the market place–a miasma of meat, produce, animals, and humans like a physical wall, compounded by the shrill shouts of street hawkers and a clog of lingering human bodies.
Well, that wasn’t very telling.
Luca had to step quickly to avoid her arm being pulled, her mind churning through new thoughts. It seemed ridiculous to assume that Irvine was blind; after all, he had made a select few observations that should be possible for someone who couldn’t see. He was a bit socially awkward, and she had known several soldiers who were. That wasn’t uncommon at all, and seemed like a much more reasonable theory.
And yet... she couldn’t shake her suspicions. Something in her gut was nudging her, and she had learned to always trust her instincts. Irvine did not feel particularly safe, a slight buzzing in the back of her mind said, but he wasn’t an immediate danger either. And something about the way he moved, the way he oriented himself, and his eyes encouraged the theory.
She’d need to try a bit more.
“I’ve been to this market several times; it’s one of my favorites.” Luca slowed her pace, forcing Irvine to slow beside her as she began to admire the wares they passed. Food, animals, supplies, and even the occasional clothing and jewelry vendor loudly proclaimed their prices to any who could hear.
Her eyes took everything in, smiling sweetly at anyone who paid them mind, and then lit up. A little girl, no more than twelve, had a tiny little shop set up for flowers of all shapes and colors. It was obvious she had picked them herself; the assortment ranged from wildflowers to weeds to plants Luca suspected were outside the Princess’s buildings. Behind her, a large bearded man watched with his arms folded and a scowl.
Slowing again, Luca bent a bit to talk to the girl. “Excuse me, but how much for one of your flowers?”
The little girl shyly named a price, her large eyes flitting between Luca and Irvine. Luca produced a couple coins and placed them on the table, and was about to reach for a flower when she stopped. A tiny smile curled her lips as she turned to Irvine.
“Excuse me, Mr. Irvine, but could you hand me the red and yellow flower there beside you?”
